Jogi Asad Rajpar

Sindhi Wikipedia community/ Wikimedia Sindh.

Thari Mirwah, Khairpur, Sindh, Pakistan Thari Mirwah - 66150

February 19, 2025

To, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) F-5/1, PTA Headquarters, Islamabad Email:

Subject: Request to Unblock Access to Wikimedia Commons in Pakistan

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to formally request the unblocking of *Wikimedia Commons* ( https://commons.wikimedia.org) in Pakistan. Wikimedia Commons is a globally recognized platform that hosts freely licensed educational media files, including images, videos, and audio recordings, which are widely used for academic, cultural, and informational purposes.

It has come to my attention that Wikimedia Commons is currently inaccessible or partially blocked in Pakistan, which is causing significant inconvenience for students, researchers, educators, journalists, and digital content creators. This restriction limits access to a vast repository of freely available knowledge and historical documentation that is beneficial for Pakistan’s educational and cultural institutions.

Additionally, I am organizing *Wiki Loves Folklore*, an international photography competition that aims to document and share the rich folk culture of various countries, including Pakistan. This competition provides a platform for Pakistani participants to share photographs showcasing Pakistan’s diverse traditions, folk heritage, and cultural expressions with the global community. However, due to the restriction on Wikimedia Commons, participants from Pakistan are facing significant difficulties in uploading their photographs and contributing to this global initiative.

Wikimedia Commons is a non-commercial and non-political platform that serves as a crucial resource for academic and cultural documentation. Its restriction negatively impacts the ability of Pakistani users to contribute and benefit from free knowledge.

I kindly urge you to review this matter and restore access to Wikimedia Commons in Pakistan. If the blocking was implemented due to specific content-related concerns, I request that only the relevant content be reviewed rather than restricting the entire website.

Please confirm receipt of this request and provide an update on any actions taken. I appreciate your time and consideration in ensuring Pakistan’s digital community has access to essential global knowledge resources.

I'm providing the following link to Wiki Loves Folklore 2025 in Pakistan photography contest link and other related links.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Folklore_2025_in_Pakis...

https://www.google.com/search?q=wiki+Loves+Folklore+2025+in+Pakistan&oq=...

Request on Wikimedia Phabricator

Commons can't provide a secure connection / can't be reached in Pakistan.

Link 👇

https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T329264

https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T329264

https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org/...

I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely, Jogi Asad Rajpar Phone 📱: +923152067927